Disclaimer:
This article is a direct street report from our correspondent and has not been edited by the 1st Responder newsroom.

DOWNS: On Jan. 29th, a Maplewood fire company responded to a Van Ness Court apartment to check on the well-being of a resident, officials said. Upon entering the apartment, they discovered three unresponsive adults. They were pronounced dead at the scene and a triple homicide investigation began, according to Essex County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Fennelly.

UPS: While enjoying a meal at Jo Jo's Tavern, off-duty Mercerville firefighters teamed up to save a life. Moments after they heard a waiter say “hey, hey, hey!”, Firefighters Chris Tozzi, Brian Pfeiffer and Alec Martin came to the assistance of a man who had collapsed and they began CPR. When the victim left on a stretcher he was talking, Tozzi later said.

DOWNS: One person was killed as the result of a 3-alarm fire on Judy Court in Old Bridge on the morning of Jan. 31st. An elderly man was rescued by firefighters as he dangled from a 2nd-floor window, officials said. He was taken to a local hospital and treated for burns and smoke inhalation. The person who died was found in a downstairs den.

UPS: After placing four new ambulances into service, Union City donated an older unit to the Union City Hatzola Ambulance Squad.

DOWNS: A Pleasantville man was seriously burned during an early-morning fire in a Sixth Ave. condominium, Jan. 30th. Firefighters rescued the victim from the ground floor, rear, officials said.

UPS: During a 2-alarm fire in a 12-story apartment building on Irvine Turner Blvd., Feb. 2nd, Newark firefighters located an elderly man on the 9th-floor hallway suffering from smoke inhalation, officials said. The victim was removed from the building and transported to University Hospital by EMS.

DOWNS: A Jersey City firehouse was the victim of a thief for the second time in a week, Feb. 1st, and police say the actor used fire gear she stole to impersonate a firefighter and rob a nearby bodega. Firefighters were inside of the Ocean Avenue firehouse when the 48-year-old woman stole turn-out gear and a hand light from a rig parked outside. Police say the woman later entered a bodega at Kennedy Blvd. & Grant Ave. and told people to leave the building due to a gas leak. The store owner said the woman had a “big knife” and stole “a bunch of lottery tickets” before fleeing. Police spotted her on Orient Ave. and arrested her in an alleyway. A police report indicated that the woman is homeless.

UPS: Newly appointed firefighters in Englewood are John Herrman and Gabriel Perrone.

DOWNS: Two Paterson firefighters were treated at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center as the result of a 2-alarm fire in a 37th St. dwelling, Feb. 1st. “Conditions deteriorated real fast,” said Deputy Chief William Henderson. “We had a couple guys that had to come out of the window to regroup.” Six residents were displaced.

UPS: Firefighters and police officers teamed up to rescue an 81-year-old bedridden woman from her burning home in Deptford Twp., Feb. 5th, according to NJ.com.

DOWNS: A multi-million dollar, 22,000-square-foot mansion built in 2002, was destroyed by fire in Colts Neck, Feb. 1st. The building, off Cedar Ave., was fully involved when the first units arrived.

UPS: In Teaneck, Joseph Berchtold was promoted to deputy fire chief, Joseph Zbierski to battalion chief and Richard Burchell to captain. New lieutenants are Kevin McCall and Paul O'Connor.

DOWNS: A Lakewood liquor store was completely destroyed by an early morning fire, Feb. 4th, on Ocean Ave.

UPS: Dominick McClain has been promoted to fire chief in North Wildwood. Michael Blizzard has been promoted to captain.

DOWNS: A Budd Lake firefighter was hospitalized Feb. 3rd after battling a fire in a Park Place law office in Mount Olive Twp. Firefighter Bryan Puterbaugh was hospitalized with minor injuries and later released.

UPS: New firefighters in Teaneck are Evan Costanza, Jessie Sylva, William Heaney and William Lynn.

DOWNS: In Ocean Twp., two 18-year-old men suffered burn injuries Jan. 16th, after the gasoline with which they were lighting in a fire pit caused an explosion, officials said.

UPS: New firefighters in New Brunswick are David Toole, Derek Merrill, Eddie Lee, Elter Waymer and Edgardo Rivera.

DOWNS: A 64-year-old Toms River woman died as the result of a fire that consumed a Fiddlers Rd. home on Feb. 14th. A 67-year-old male resident was found in the back yard, suffering from burns to his hands after he attempted to get to the woman. A firefighter suffered second-degree burns during one rescue attempt, officials said.

UPS: Jersey City firefighter recruits in training worked with the Jersey City Shovels Program, shoveling and clearing snow at dozens of senior's homes, after the Feb. 9th snowstorm.

DOWNS: A marina fire damaged over a dozen boats and sent a huge column of smoke into the sky at the Seaport Inlet Marina on 5th Ave., Belmar, on Feb. 14th.

DOWNS: A 3-alarm fire at an abandoned Linden warehouse Feb. 15th, caused the suspension of NJ Transit service for hours. Hazardous materials were reported to be burning in the warehouse on West Elizabeth St.

UPS: The volunteer fire company in Holland Township has received a donation of two sets of pet oxygen masks from Canine Company. Chief Thomas Welch requested the donation after learning about Canine Company's campaign to get the life-saving masks to first responders in communities where the company does business.

DOWNS: A woman was killed in a dwelling fire on Nelson Circle, East Brunswick, on the morning of Feb. 17th.

DOWNS: Newark F.D. Deputy 1's vehicle was involved in a two-car MVA and rolled over at Central Avenue and First Street, Feb. 18th, while responding on a full assignment. EMS transported the chief, aide and an occupant of the civilian vehicle to the hospital for treatment.

UPS: In February, Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise signed an executive order to create a public safety academy. The new academy in Secaucus will train law enforcement officers, firefighters and EMTs, and will operate in connection with the Hudson County Community College. It is expected to open in 2018.

DOWNS: Two Ridgewood firefighters were injured Feb. 20th while operating at a dwelling fire on Prospect St., Glen Rock. “They actually went through the floor into fire,” Glen Rock Fire Chief Tom Jennings said. “Two of our members (GRFD) pulled them out to safety when they went through the floor.” Both members were taken to The Valley Hospital for treatment, Jennings said. The chief added that it looked like the fire had been burning for a while before units arrived.

UPS: Hopatcong police and firefighters teamed up to rescue a fisherman who fell through the ice on Feb. 19th. P.O. Edward Janosko and FF Wade Crowley both jumped into the lake wearing ice rescue suits to keep the fisherman afloat until he could be rescued. Other firefighters pulled the fisherman from the water and he was taken to a local hospital as a precaution, police said.

DOWNS: A small plane crashed on Avenue E in Bayonne, Feb. 19th, but there was no damage beyond several parked cars and knocked-down power lines, officials said. The 56-year-old pilot was injured, but not seriously, and there was no fire. City officials said during a news conference that the pilot of the Piper PA-28 aircraft encountered a problem near the Statue of Liberty and he appeared to be planning an emergency landing. Fire Chief Keith Weaver said the plane was upside down and mangled when firefighters arrived. He credited his members for doing an “excellent job” rescuing the pilot. The victim was listed in stable condition at Jersey City Medical Center, a hospital spokesman said.